The Presque Isle girls have an opportunity to pick up some valuable Heal Points when John Bapst comes to town for a 6 p.m. matchup Wednesday.
The game was scheduled for Tuesday, but moved back a day because of the storm. The Crusaders enter with a 10-1 record as the No. 1 team in Class B North. The Wildcats own an impressive 8-3 mark, but are in seventh place.
“It is not a do or die game, but if we want a bye or home prelim, we really need to start winning some games we are not supposed to,” said PI coach Jeff Hudson.
He calls John Bapst one of the best teams in the Big East Conference, along with Hermon, and knows the Crusaders pose a difficult challenge.
“They are very deep as they play at least 10 kids and they don’t miss a beat doing it,” Hudson said. “They also have two of the best in the division in Hannah Phillipon and Crystal Bell.
“We will have to play very tough defensively in order to keep it close and we have to score. They have a decent press so we can’t turn the ball over. Rebounding and bench scoring are always keys for us playing well,” he added.
In another girls contest, new Class C rivals Houlton and Central Aroostook play for the second time this season as they are in Houlton for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The Shires are No. 1 with an 11-0 record, while the Panthers are in third place at 10-4. When they met the first time back on Dec. 13, the Shires picked up an easy 57-31 victory.
Southern Aroostook, the top-ranked squad in Class D, will look to shake off its loss Monday to Houlton when the Warriors (11-2) travel to Hodgdon. The Hawks (7-5 and ranked 13th in Class C) are coming off Monday’s big win over Katahdin.
The fifth-place team in Class C, the Fort Fairfield girls (8-6), play on the road against Class D Washburn (3-9 and in ninth place) at 7 p.m. The Tigers won the first meeting, 49-36, played Dec. 30 in Fort Fairfield.
East Grand (1-9) travels to Charleston to take on Highview Christian Academy in a doubleheader. The girls play at 5:30 p.m., followed by the boys at 7 p.m.
Fort Fairfield plays at Hodgdon in a boys makeup from last night. The game begins at 5:30 p.m. The Tigers enter with a 10-2 record and are in second place in Class C, while the Hawks are 4-9 and in the 14th and final playoff spot in the division. At Fort Fairfield on Jan. 6, the Tigers won a close one, 56-55.
A make-up alpine ski meet will be held under the lights at Lonesome Pine Trails in Fort Kent beginning at 6 p.m. Central Aroostook and Caribou are the teams expected to join the host Warriors.
